There is a primary need to increase the use of Illinois coal resources by developing new methods of converting the coal into electricity with highly efficient and environmentally acceptable systems. New coal gasification processes that can generate electricity with high thermal efficiency either in a combined gas-turbine, a steam-turbine cycle (IGCC), or in a fuel cell (MCFC) are being developed. Both of these new coal-to-electricity pathways require that the coal-derived fuel gas be at a high temperature and free of potential pollutants, such as sulfur compounds. Unfortunately, some high-sulfur Illinois coals also contain a significant amount of chlorine, which converts into hydrogen chloride (HCl) in the coal gas. In this study, two simulated gasifier-product streams were contacted with the zinc titanate desulfurization sorbent in a bench-scale atmospheric fluidized-bed reactor at temperatures ranging from 538 to 750 degrees C (1000-1382 degrees F). The first set of experiments involved treating a medium-Btu fuel gas (simulating that of a "Texaco" oxygen-blown, entrained-bed gasifier) containing 1.4% H2S and HCl concentrations of 0, 200, and 1500 ppmv. The second set of experiments evaluated the hat-gas desulfurization of a low-Btu fuel gas (simulating the product of the "U-Gas" air-blown gasifier), which had a 0.5% H2S content and with HCl concentrations of 0, 200, and 800 ppmv. These operating conditions were typical of the gas-treatment requirements of gasifier systems fueled by Illinois basin coals containing up to 0.6% chlorine. The results of the experiments at 538 and 650 degrees C at all the HCl concentrations revealed no deleterious effects on the capability of the sorbent to remove H2S from the fuel-gas mixtures. In most cases, the presence of the HCl significantly enhanced the desulfurization reaction rate. Some zinc loss, however, was encountered in certain situations at 750 degrees C when low-steam operating conditions were present. Also of interest, a portion of the incoming HCl was removed from the gas stream and was retained permanently by the sorbent.